Poor should have pregnancy options

As we get ready to celebrate the swearing in of President Barack Obama for a second term, it is a time to talk about our hopes for the country. I would like to see President Obama submit a budget to Congress that does not include restrictions on coverage of abortion care.

Even if we don't personally agree with abortion, we can agree it is unfair to pressure a woman over her decision about whether to end a pregnancy just because she has government-funded health insurance. Decisions about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child are better left to a woman and her family in consultation with her health care provider.

When a woman cannot afford to end a pregnancy when she needs to, the impact on her and her family can be far-reaching. She may put off getting care, or shut off her own heat or telephone or take another job just to pay for the care she needs.

Holding back coverage from someone who is eligible for health benefits just to make it impossible for her to have an abortion, is unconscionable. I urge the president to stand by women — a majority of whom stood by him in the election — and submit a budget that includes coverage for a full range of pregnancy related care including abortion.